Process of manufacturing expanded metal.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

F. H. QRITTALL. PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING EXPANDED BEETA'L,

APPLICATION FILED 33.17. 1908. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 890,126. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

F. H. ORITTALL. PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED EE .1 .1 08.

B 7 9 6SHEETS-SHEET a.

No. 890,126. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. F. H. GRITTALL.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

' APPLICATION FILED FBB,17. 1908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 890,126. PATENTED JUNB'Q, 190s.

' F. H. URITTALL.

' PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 17. 1908 6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

w I a, b (L Q A M A Z %M%4m A mamw.

fipecificetion of Letters Patent.

MANUFACTURING- EKIPANDED FEETAL.

Patented June 9, 1908.

hupiieetion filed. 'Jebruery'fl, 1908. Serial No. 216,233.

T all whom it may concern:

it known that Z, FRANCIFi HnNnrCnrT- TALL, engineer, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Manor Works, Braintree, in the county of Essex, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of Msnulsctu ring Expanded Metal, of which the following is a specification.

In my British patent No. 21,083, of Oct. 17, 1905, l have shown mechanism whereby expended ll'1:'i2l.l is nisde by iorming in a sheet parallel longitudinal rows of short slits and then pulling the sides of the sheet apart thus opening the slits into diamond shaped .15 holes.

Theproccss described in said patent puts a considerable strain on the uncut portions of motel between the ends of the slits of each row such portions forming the junctions at the corners of the meshes of the resulting networlr. This limits the lateral extension of to my present invention these uncut portions of metal ere more or less res. by arranging them at an jec; nom opposite sid of the of t ic e pended sheet and causing the strips to ig the. sides of the meshes to twist helici This result can he produced in the following nisnncrr lhe sheet of metal is slit in rows as usual the rectangular junctions of uncut metal hetween the endsof the slits of each row vheing midway elongthe slits of the adjacent rows. The sheet is thus divided into narrow longitudinel strips connected by these ectzinguler junctions which. lie in transverse rows shout hall the length of slit apt 'ihc junctions are then turned shout hnwitudinsl axes until they are approf-rims iv a right angles to the plane of '1 sheet, oil the join-th ns of one transverse row being led in the same direction, while all the junctions of the two adjacent transverse rows are turned in the opposite direction. The oil oi this is to give a helical twist to the sh lps and when the sheet is expondod'in the ordim'u-y way they retain this twist, and the junctions remain EfiOl'G'OI less a: rightsngies to the plane of the sheet. In ihc finished article also the Whole length of each strip is on one side of the plane of the sheet, :nljoccnt. strips being on opposite sides oi" this plane.

The horn ing of the junctions may convenpcri'ormml lay n'iesns of rolls having teeth ouch howled on one side. 7

junctions oft e slit sheet out of the plane of the sheet and for twisting the strands according to my improvements.

Figure 1 is a. side elevation, and Fi 2 is en end elevation of a machine for carrying out this invention. Figs. 3, 4 and are transverse sections (to twice the scale of Figs. 1 and 2) on the lines 3-3, 4- and 55, Fig. 1. In these figures many parts are omitted for the sake of clecrness. Fig. 6 1s a local plan of Fig. 5. Figs? and 8 are locsl transverse sections and Fig. 9 is a local side I elevation showing deteils. Figs. end 9* ere-detached views ol some of the ports. Fig. 7 is four times and Figs. 8, 9, 8* and 9* are eight times the scale of Fl 's. 1 end 2. Figs. 10 and 11 are longitudinal and transverse sections of the slitting rolls 6, these figures are sixteen times the scale of Figs. 1

and 2. Fig. 12 is a part side elevationsend' Fig. 13 a pert radial section of the sow toothed rolls 7. Fig. 1% is it plain of the sheet after it has been slit and Fig. 15 is a. Inn of the some sheet after it hes passed rough the rolls 7. Figs. 16, 1.7 end 18 are local sections on the lines l6-16, 1717 end l8-18 Fig. 15 the parts behind the planes of section being omitted. Fig. 19 is a plsn of the finished sheet and F ig. 2.0 is a section on the line i2020 Fig. 19... Fig. 12 is sixte n times and Figs. 13 to 20 are thirty-two times the scale of Figs. 1 end 2.

As before stated, the mechanism shown is largely similar to that shown in my British atent before referred to hut/the mechanism 1S changed in the res ect before mentioned and as thus changed the machine is well adapted for performing the various steps in the manufacture of the desired article.

1 (Fig. l) is s toothed Wheel fixed to the main shaft of the machine. 2 is e toothed wheel gearing with the wheel 1 and fixed to the some shaftes the Wheel 3 which goers with wheels 4 and fixed respectively to. the shafts of one of the slitting rolls 6 end one of the saw toothed rolls 7. 8 is a wheel gearing with the wheel 4 and also with the Wheel 9 fixed to the shaft of one of the feed rolls 10.

The wheel 1 also with a. wheel ll on the spindle of a worm 13 gearing with a worm wheel 14 on the longitudinal shaft 15. This shaft transmits motion through a clutch 16 to another longitudinal shaft 17. The shaft 17 drives through trains of gearing (clearly shown at Fig. 2) three longitudinal'shafts 18, 19, 19, the four shafts actuating the expanding mechanism as hereinafter descrlbed.

The slittin rolls 6 are geared together by wheels (not s own) in'the ordinary manner and as is clearly shown at Figs. 10 and 11 each slitting roll consists of a number of disks 20 se arated from each other by the thickness 0 a disk, and the disks of one roll just enter the spaces between the disks of the other roll, thus formin a series of shear blades. The edges of the disks have notches 21 in them equally spaced around their circumferences, and situated alternately on olpposite faces of them, and at these points t e disks do not cut the metal sheet. The

.notches of one series are midway between :rounded'and beveled so that the periphery 'of each tooth isa blunt edge. The teeth 6 the notches of the other series, so that the metal sheet after passing through the rolls has in it a number of arallel lines of slits 22 (Fig. 14) the sheet being divided bythe slits into narrow strips a b a. b &c. connected together by rectangular junctions c d c d &c. of uncut metal. I

In order to prevent the sheet of metal sticking in the rolls 6 two parallel grids 23 (Figs..10 and 11) are provideJd, -,the bars of which lie between the disks of the .t'woj'rolls. There is a space between these two grids. 'suilicient-to allow the sheet. of nictal to )as's.

Thesaw-toothed rolls 7 (Figs. 12-.and-13) are like the rolls 6 built up ofparallel disks. Each of.- these disks are provided with. teeth e One side of each-of these tee his a ane radial surface while the other side is and f are arranged alternately and face OPPO? site ways as shown. The teeth e act upon the junctions c and turn them from right to left as shown at Fig. 16 while the teeth f act on the junctions d and turn them from left to right as shown at Fig. 17. In each case the junction is bent between the rounded faces of the u er and lower rolls. In the finished sheet, igs. 19 and 20, the junctions c and (Z .retain their more or less vertical position sothat the strips'a are all on the topgof the sheet and the strips 1) at the bottom.

The sheet of metal after leaving the saw toothed rolls 7 is passed-byhand toa guide trough and the clutch 16 is thrown in by a treadle thus starting the ex anding mechanism. The guide trough is ormed of a-fixed table 24 su ported by standards 25 and two movable si es 26 which are depressed out of the way when the jaws 27 descend to seize thee es of the sheet as is clearly shown at Fig. 7 y a cam 28 which acts on a lever 29 eeo,12e

connected by links 30 to bell crank levers 31 which operate them. The sides 26 are brought back by springs which are not shown.

. As shown at Fig. 4 the cams 37 have three lifts. When the slide 36 is on the highest lift (as shown at Fig. 4) the points of the jaws 27 penetrate through the e ge of the unexpanded sheet of metal into holes in the edge ofthe table 24 but as the cam 37 revolves the slide 36 almost immediately descends on to the middle lift and the points of the jaws 27 are raised out of the holes and they are then free to move laterally a-wa from the table. At the end of the expan ing process the slides36 descend onto 1 the lowest lift of the earns 37 raising the jaws 27 still higher so that the sides 26 of the table 24 can be raised without coming inte contact with the underside of the expanded sheet of metal thus allowing an unexpanded knocked scend at the proper times, piercing .through the edges of the sheet and enteringislots in the edges of the table. The rock shafts35 have fixed to them weighted arms (not shown) which tend to turn the shafts and kee the arms 34 in contact with the slides 36 an cause'the jaws 27 to rise when they are free to do. so.f I Immediately therefore the.

nose of the cam 37 has passed from beneath the slide 36 the jaws rise to the level of-the top of the table and just clearof the'slots in it thus retaining their hold on the sheet. The bearings of the shafts 35 are carried by blocks 38 free to move on transverse guides 39 (Fig; 3) and the shafts 35 are connected by links 40 to levers 41 acted upon by eccentrics 42 fixed on the shaft 17 which at: the proper times draw the two series of transversely outwards awayfrom each other and so ex and the slit sheet. The blocks 32 carrying t 1e jaws of each series are connected to each other by links 43 acting somewhat like lazy tongs so that-they are equidistant from each other when fully separated. The

details of this arrangement are.shown at Figs. 8, .9, 8* and 9*.

The links 43 are in pairs their lower ends being pivoted to the A locks 32 bytransverse pins 44 and their upper ends to transverse pins 45. Hung. from the middle of the ins 45 are inverted T- shaped stops 46 (Fig. 8*) one end of which is forked while the other end carries a set screw 47 the end of which bears on a tongue 48 (Fig. 9*) pivoted near the bottom of the stood that one is hung from Wlien'the blocks 32 are separated to the full extentthe forked end of each stop rests on one of the pins 44 and the end of. its tongue 48 rests on the next pin 44 lylng between the arms'of the forked end of the adjacent stop.

When in this position the stop supports the pin 45 and revents its further descent and therefore t e further separation of the blocks 32. By turning the screws 47 the maximum distance between the blocks 32 can be adjusted.

' he block 32 carrying the center jaw 27 of each series is fixed to the bar 33, the other blocks moving on the bar and closing up towards the central jaw when the sheet is being expanded. After a 'sheet has been expanded the blocks are separated again in the follow-' ing manner :-The blocks at each end of each series are fixed to slides 49 (Figs. 5 and 6) free to move along the shafts 35. These,

slides carry pins 50 which engage with a bar 51 carrying guide rods 52 which work in guides 53 fixed to the underside of the table- 24? The bar-51 has on its underside a roller 54'iwhich is acted on by'a cam 55 fixed on the shaft s. j.

When the sheet has been expanded, the jaws 27 rise as shown at Fig. 5 above the level of thetableand the sheet being no longer supported by the latter drops off the jaws or is readily knocked off by hand, and then the came 55 come into operation and push the end blocks 32'lon itudinally outwards away from the middle 0% the machine,

' then move transversely inwards, the jaws 27 descend and take hold of the edges of the next sheet, the blocks 32 move transversely outwards thus ex anding the sheet, and at the same time the hlocks move longitudinally inward's towards the middle of the machine and so on. i

It will be observed that the blbcks 32 are only controlled by the earns 55 when they are being separated and the jaws therefore are not engaging with the slit sheet of metal. When the latter is being expanded the blocks are entirely free and their inward movement is entirely governed by the pull of the slit sheet in expanding, no undue strain there'- fore is put on any part of the sheet. This arrangement also allows the same machine to be used without alteration for different qualities of metal.

- It will be observed that the junctions of the strips are turned out of the plane of the sheet and the strips are twisted by a rolling operation immediately following the slitting ig. 9 but it will be under The blocks operation and that after having passed through these operations the sheets are ready for the expanding mechanism to which. they may be immediately conveyed. The expanding mechanism operates to expand all the meshes in a sheet simultaneously and not gradually or stop by step, as in some'other processes. In this way the speed of production is largely increased and the treatment given to the metal before expanding is such that a maximum area of expanded metal may be obtained from a given amount of material as the meshes are practically square instead of elongated or diamond-shaped and this is done without undue strain or weakening of the junctions or any other parts of the fabric.

In my application for patent No. 416,234, filed Feb. 17, 1908, I have claimed the improved mechanism herein shown and described and the article produced, I have claimed in my application filed April 7, 1908, No. 425,717. 1

VVhat I claim is:

l. The process of manufacturing expanded metal, consisting in forming in a sheet paral-.

lel, longitudinal rows of slits with the junctions between the ends of the slits of each row-arranged between the slits of theadjacent rows, then turning the junctions bodily out of the plane of the sheet without mate.-

rially deforming them and subsequently expanding the sheet.

2. The process of manufacturing expanded metal, consisting in forming 1n a sheet parallel, longitudinal rows of slits with the junc tions between the ends of the slits of each row arranged between the slits of the adjacent rows, then turning the junctions bodily out of the plane the strips connected with each junction to occupy a plane above the remaining two strips and subse uently expanding the sheet to spread simu taneously all the meshes there.

3. The process of manufacturing expanded metal consisting informing in a sheet parallel longitudinal rows ofslits the junctions between the ends of the slits of each row being between the slits of the adjacent rows, then turning the junctions out of the plane of the sheet, all the junctions in one transverse row being turned in the same direction while all the junctions of the two adjacent transverse rows are turned in the other direction and finally expanding the sheet.

H. D. JAMESON, F. L. RAN

of the sheet to cause two of 

